1. Cooking – Ooo the kitchen. I head there to calm down, relax, and create. O, and to feed myself something delicious and nutritious.

2. Books – Sometimes nothing sounds better than curling up with a good book. Whether I’m inside with a cup of tea, or sitting in the sunshine with a bottle of water, it’s the most portable form of entertainment. Plus, I love the feel of the pages. You can keep your kindle, I’m sticking to the crisp, the worn, and the thumbed paper pages.

3. Water – Plain, with lime, warm with ginger, frozen as snow, or crashing down onto a beach, H2o is a must have.

4. Tea – A close second to water. I gave it up for 10 weeks during my elimination diet, but it wasn’t the lack of caffeine that phased me. It was the ritual. The waking up, putting on the kettle, and sipping on a hot cup of tea first thing in the morning, or after a long day of skiing, or with a good book when it’s storming outside. Really, anytime is a good time for tea.

5. Slow mornings – one of my favorite things to do is sleep in a little (which I admit, I’m not very good at it, I struggle to sleep past 8), and fix a slow, relaxing breakfast. Whether it’s my favorite buckwheat pancake recipe, a hearty fritatta, or something I’ve discovered online, I love starting out my day with a long session in the kitchen, a cup of tea, and good company.

6. Cold, frosty mornings, that tingle my peppermint breath when I inhale. It’s the most effective way to wake up, and reminds me of walking to the bus stop as a kid in Crested Butte.

7 am Tram at the Bird!

7. Bicycles – Mountain bikes, road bikes, commuter bikes, tall bikes, I love them all. They get me around my city and let me explore new ones. Bike commuting to work has me outside for roughly two more hours every day than if I had driven, and I arrive at work happier and more awake than if I had drove.

Col de Thones, France

8. My Frye cowboy boots – O how I pined and adored these boots from afar before I ever owned them! They come with me everywhere. I don’t care if it’s 90 degrees out, I don’t wear them because I’m cold. I wear them because they are AWESOME! I once saw a girl with SPDs inserted into her cowboy boots. I love my Fryes too much to tear apart the soles , but a good thrift shop pair? Best.shoes.ever.

showing off the boots, obviously

9. SLC Crossfit – I have been at SLC Crossfit since 2008. The other members have become my training buddies and friends. We egg each other on, make each other work faster, harder, lift more, and cry less. SLC Crossfit has made me a better athlete, both mentally and physically. Plus, it’s 2 blocks from my office. Do I take a one hour lunch break everyday? Hell yeah I do!

10.Thunderstorms – nothing makes me want to curl up with a book more than a good thunderstorm. There’s something incredibly cozy about knowing that you’re inside all warm and snug while there is a raging storm outside.

11. Mountaintops – Winter, summer, fall or spring, mountain tops a deep breath on a mountain top releases an amazing feeling of freedom, invincibility, and humility.

Top of Mt. Olympus

12. A hearty meal after a long, hard day of playing – Sitting down to a delicious meal after playing hard is just plain rewarding. One of those days where you body seeps into the chair with gratitude that you have finally stopped moving, and the hot, nutritious meal is there waiting for you. What would my perfect meal be? I don’t think I can pick just one, but definitely something “comforting” like Shephards Pie, or Rotkhol, potatoes, and a nice steak. Or maybe even Shrimp Monica.

13. Wine – A glass of hearty red in front of the fire, or a mellow sauvingnon blanc on the patio, wine is perfect any time of year. It’s my go to at social occasions and out of everything, was the biggest challenge during my elimination diet. I can say no to sugar, caffeine, and cheese, but apparently wine and I have deep roots.

14. My mum – I call her for recipes, in times of panic, in times of joy, and most often, just to say hello. She has kept me inspired in skiing, cooking, life, and demonstrated what it means to be strong and independent. She is a dreamer, the hardest worker I know, and I wouldn’t be where I am today without her.

15. Coaching – the 10/11 ski season was my first as a coach for the Alta-Bird Freeride team and it definitely won’t be my last. The kids rip, are fun, inspiring, and love to ski. They remind me of why I to ski.

18. Vegetables – My vegetarian boyfriend has asked me if I have a vegetable tapeworm; I just can’t get enough of them. I put them in my scrambled eggs in the morning, create big-ass salads for lunch, and sautee and steam away for dinner. They are o-so-delicious.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sft1aihh99s[/youtube]

19. Dawn Patrols – Skinning up a mountain predawn and skiing down in the early morning light. All before breakfast. Best way to kick start my day and ski the best powder on the mountain.

20. Nut butters – Almond butter, peanut butter, cashew butter, tahini (ok, it’s technically a seed), I love them all. I could eat them straight out of the jar (which I often do) or dip apple and bananas in them, spread them over buckwheat waffles or better yet, make pancakes out of it, make salad dressings and create sauces, the possibilities are endlessly delicious.

21.Training – I love working with other’s on their goal for better fitness. Whether it’s for skiing, or for life, I love watching my friend’s get stronger, and make them hurt just a little bit. Maybe that’s why the guys nicknamed me drill sergeant…